Hightower on standby

Just in case Julius Nwosu hurts himself or plays out of sync, there’s a high-flying 6-8 forward on standby ready to take his spot on the Red Bull roster in the raging Samsung Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

Corey Hightower, 23, would’ve planed in last Friday but Red Bull management decided to hold off sending a ticket until things clear up in the Thunder camp. Since there will definitely be a Game 6 in the best-of-7 title series between Red Bull and Talk ‘N Text, Hightower might still be called in. At the moment, he’s twiddling his thumbs somewhere in the East Coast, waiting for the phone to ring.

If the series extends to a Game 7, the clincher will be played on Friday.

Instead of Hightower, Sean Lampley showed up early last Friday morning. That night, he was in uniform to score 22 points as Tony Lang’s replacement in Red Bull’s 89-81 win over the Phone Pals to even the series count at two wins apiece. It was a remarkable performance for a player who landed in Manila less than 24 hours ago.

"Lampley’s fresh out of the Miami Heat camp so he’s in great basketball shape," a Red Bull insider told The STAR yesterday. "We contacted his agent and in about 20 minutes, came to terms. We’re lucky that Lampley could come at a moment’s notice because he’s a bachelor and besides, he already knows what it’s like playing in the PBA."

Lang departs Manila this morning with a heavy heart for Japan. He would’ve preferred to stay until the end of the Finals but like a true pro, the former Duke University standout is leaving town quietly. Lang took Red Bull to the Second Conference crown last year.

Lampley, 22, is no stranger to Red Bull and he’s used to dramatic entrances. In the last Governors Cup, he flew in as Joe Bunn’s replacement but didn’t play more than a game. Lampley saw action in Red Bull’s do-or-die duel against Purefoods in the quarterfinals. Alas, the Tender Juicy Hot Dogs won, 82-77, despite Lampley’s 25 points.

Lampley was the Chicago Bulls second round pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft last year. He played four years at the University of California and as a senior in 2000-01, averaged 19.5 points and shot 50.2 percent from the field. This past season, Lampley shot 16.2 points and grabbed 8.9 rebounds a game for coach Bill Klucas’ Saskatchewan Hawks in the Continental Basketball Association.

Hightower was picked by the San Antonio Spurs on the second round in the 2000 NBA draft. His rights were then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for two future second round choices. He never made it to the Lakers roster.

Hightower led the Indian Hills Community College to two straight National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) titles, averaging 17.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 66 total games. In his first year at Indian Hills, Hightower set a school record in free throw percentage by hitting .836. And in his second season in 1999-2000, Hightower averaged 26.3 points and shot .481 from the floor. Hightower didn’t bother enrolling in an NCAA Division I school for his last two years of varsity eligibility and applied for the NBA draft.

At Mount Zion High School in North Carolina, Hightower’s teammate was Orlando Magic star Tracy McGrady. Hightower, who plays the drums, said Dallas Mavericks forward Michael Finley was his toughest matchup ever.

In the PBA Finals, Hightower might not be a match for Talk ‘N Text’s Jerald Honeycutt who outweighs him by over 60 pounds. He won’t even be a match for Pete Mickael. Hightower is a lanky 200-pounder who’s not an inside force like Nwosu.

Red Bull sources said another import prospect is on the wait list but if Nwosu continues to play heads-up, the Thunder will likely stick with the burly Nigerian who’s a terror in the paint.